JH & Co EF hallmark question - SMP Silver Salon Forums

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JH & Co EF hallmark question

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Author	Topic: JH & Co EF hallmark question
Rutellidesigns Posts: 10 Registered: Mar 2002	posted 03-20-2002 03:42 AM I have some pieces of utensils (All kinds) (I'm out of money but will order your book at later date). This one fork which is a weightier piece and thicker has five stamped sort of things on the back of handle The first I think says JH inside a sort of a sort of rectangle, the second mark says '&' inside a sort of three prong crown, the third says 'Co' inside an oval shape, the fourth says I believe 'EF' or it could be 'EP' inside a sort of rectangle with rounded edges and then there is a very different kind of mark I cannot really explain sort of like a fancy Old scripted C on its side with a little mark through the C inside a sort of fancy pattern which if I turn the fork right side up looks like some kind of coat of arms shape. The fork doesn't bend at all (like some other pieces) and is not ornate but has a big flare type handle with simple yet curved lines. Does anyone know or is familiar with this maker and does anyone know how young or old it could be? The country? I don't know do you? My other two silver books don't seem to have the info and when I get more money I'll have to buy those books listed in these postings as soon as possible. I have Kovels, Flea Market Treasures, and also Antiques Roadshow Primer. The Kovels book is not good because it states one of a kind items that already sold and so hard to find my items. Thank You ever so!! Deborah IP: Logged
WGS Posts: 136 Registered: Oct 99	posted 03-20-2002 08:51 AM Surely the fork is Electro-Plate, that is, silver deposited on a base metal. According to Rainwater, there was a John Hasselbring Company of Brooklyn, New York which was bought by Crown Silver Inc. about 1954-1955. That might explain the conjunction of the JH and the crown, but there is no indication that either company dealt in other than sterling silver. Rainwater also mentions that for Hasselbring "Another trademark, containing a deer head, has been reported but not found." Does the fifth mark look anything like a deer head? ------------------ IP: Logged
Rutellidesigns Posts: 10 Registered: Mar 2002	posted 03-20-2002 01:12 PM Hi, Thank you for answering. The fifth mark doesn't really look like deer head to me. The mark inside the fancy design if you turn the fork upward looks like the letter C but in the back of the letter C is a little imprinted line behind the C. Am I ruining my pieces by cleaning with paper toweling? I've come into a lot of old old pieces that were so tarnished and dirty u couldn't tell some were even silver at all. Is there some kind of fabric I should get to clean them? Do they sell the Rainwater Book here? I see two other books and have to save the money to get them both too. Also if you don't mind once clean I want to put them in something to stop the tarnishing. I have a box for the ware but the big pieces should I wrap in velvet? Should I wrap in flannel? I don't know hardly a thing about silver but don't want to ruin the pieces. Some I may want to give to museum if they r wanted and historically valuable at all. I'm not done yet but I have a whole bunch that needs to be cleaned and preserved. The historical preservation is what I'm concerned with so if I start rubbing on the hallmark of a piece that is 200 yrs old I may ruin the chances of other people enjoying them so please tell me how. Thanks so much. Deborah IP: Logged
Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 Registered: May 99	posted 03-20-2002 01:28 PM It takes a lot of rubbing to ruin silver. Curators worry about cumulative wear over years of polishing. Paper towels aren't the best, but they won't really hurt it. Is there a chance that this is English plate--which usually says EPNS, rather than just EP? It sounds sort of like the pseudo-hallmarks that English electro-plate makers sometimes used. To prevent tarnish, after cleaning, a polyethelene zip-loc bag works well--but be careful about the kind of plastic you use. You want to keep the air away from things, and even wrapping in tissue and putting in a tight cardboard box will help--but the boxes themselves can off-gas acids that will tarnish the silver. We use zip-loc bags on smaller pieces for storage here. IP: Logged
Rutellidesigns Posts: 10 Registered: Mar 2002	posted 03-20-2002 01:52 PM Thank you so much! I am also looking for some kind of magnifier so I can really see. I'm not sure if it says EF or EP. It is worn some of course. But I just don't want to ruin any pieces that are possibly really of historical value to the public just in case so thanks ever so. I can't wait to get those books and study more. I never thought of zip lock bags. Great! I also have a 1789 Pewter Piece plate which I know u do not deal with but at some point this may be of interest to a public display somewhere over time who I find or who finds me. Deborah IP: Logged

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